This invention is concerned with an apparatus and process for handling a vehicle frame. It is known that in many modern vehicle manufacturing facilities in order to reduce cost and conserve manufacturing floor space the frame of the vehicle is manufactured off sight and transported to the manufacturing facility as needed in the assembly process. The various vehicle frames are typically transported in stacks of between 12-15 frames which rise over 21 feet high. Each vehicle frame is approximately 8-12 inches high and are spaced about 5-8 inches apart in the stack. As a particular vehicle frame is required during the assembly of a vehicle a portion of the stack of vehicle frames containing the particular vehicle frame of interest is separated from the other frames in the stack by a forklift and then placed on the floor. The particular frame of interest is then manually removed from the separated stack portion and inserted in the assembly line. It will be appreciated that the selection of a particular vehicle frame from among a stack of vehicle frames is a cumbersome and time consuming process. This process is made even more complicated as more and more stacks are separated to obtain the various vehicle frames of interest.
In addition to the foregoing problems of locating and separating a vehicle frame from a stack of vehicle frames, it will be further appreciated that when dividing the stack of vehicle frames the front end of the forklift directly contacts the underside of the bottom vehicle frame to lift the frame of interest and all of the frames on top of that frame thereby increasing the possibility that the bottom frame may be damaged as the frame is moved.
In view of the foregoing, there is a significant need for an improved apparatus and process for handling a vehicle frame. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus adaptable to the front end of a forklift and other material handling equipment for handling a vehicle frame such as an automobile frame for use in assembly line manufacturing and the process of using the apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for handling a vehicle frame that is readily adaptable to a fork lift truck. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for handling a vehicular frame that is simple and economical to manufacture.